ALS
Yesterday’s workshop was “Relationship ABC’s: Authenticity, Boundaries, and Communication” with Emma and Alexya. Leadership is based on relationships. So at MLW we believe that we must equip our delegates with the tools to build healthy relationships. In this workshop, delegates identified different types of relationships that exist in their daily lives and examined the roles they play within their relationships. Delegates also explored the concept of authenticity and how it connects to the roles they take on in relationships. Delegates were then able to use this knowledge to differentiate between healthy and toxic relationships and examine which relationships they have that may be toxic. Delegates learned about boundary setting as an important tool for creating healthy relationships and strategize about how they might set appropriate boundaries with others.
Delegates also had a group meeting as well as more time to work on their practicum project. The ALS delegates are full of ideas for their Health and Wellness fair and we are eager to see what they will teach middle school students. Delegates also met with their tuning groups today to continue to work on plans and strategies to reach their goals. Additionally, each staff member plans unique leadership activities for their tuning group to supplement what delegates are learning throughout the day. Lastly, ALS delegates had an evening activity centered around self-care so that they could start to develop a daily practice of self-care and prioritize taking time to relax, refresh, and reflect. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s update- it is hard to believe we are almost halfway through the week.
Bridge
Bridge delegates had a full morning with two workshops. First, delegates attending Building Supportive Relationships taught by Nick and Emily. In this workshop, delegates learned about building personal support systems and discussed the importance of setting boundaries in order to form healthy relationships. Delegates also examined the role empathy plays in developing strong relationships. Lastly, delegates talked about how they can be sources of support to others and how they can practice compassion even when it is challenging. Next, delegates attended Creative Problem Solving through Design Thinking taught by Brandon and Kelly. In this workshop, delegates explore how diversity of perspective can impact collaboration. Delegates also learned the steps of the design thinking model and explored strategies to resolve conflict so that it does not hinder the creative process.
In the afternoon, delegates worked on their practicum project and are making progress in designing the MLW Time Capsule. Delegates also participated in a group meeting and had another tuning session where they were able to work in their small groups with a staff member to flesh out their goals for the week and what they are learning throughout the Bridge program. Lastly, delegates participated in a delegate talent show and delegate led visions where they were able to select and share personally significant quotes, songs, and other stories.
Journey
The Journey girls had a big day! They took a field trip to Go-Adventures where they participated in a variety of outdoor challenges including ropes courses. This is a special opportunity unique to the Journey program that allows the Journey delegates to develop their confidence in an experiential way. Additionally, the Journey delegates are given the opportunity to challenge themselves while being supported by their peers and staff. Through this experience, we see stronger friendships develop and the delegates walk away with a sense of accomplishment for challenging themselves to move outside their comfort zones. It was awesome to see the Journey delegates bond and cheer each other on throughout the day.
There was still time for Tuning and some games once they got back to UMBC. Each tuning group was able to meet with their staff member and debrief the day in a small group setting while also continuing to work towards their goals for the week. The evening activity was all about Self-Care. Through this activity, the delegates learned the importance of taking care of themselves, managing stress, and building in time to their daily routine to focus on themselves. The day closed with hall meeting where the delegates shared their highs and lows of the day (their favorite and least favorite parts) and went to sleep in order to rest for tomorrow’s action-packed schedule.
